


Just Checking: Duke and Audrey

by serendipityxxi



Series: Just Checking [3]
Category: Haven (TV)
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-11
Updated: 2016-03-11
Packaged: 2018-05-26 00:12:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6215827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serendipityxxi/pseuds/serendipityxxi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>6 times one of our OT3 had to check just to make sure one of the others is okay post the Troubles and one time they didn't have to. Duke checks in on Audrey.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just Checking: Duke and Audrey

Duke Crocker is not pacing outside of the morgue. He’s not anxiously waiting for Audrey to get out of her ‘book club’ so he can make sure that she is alive and breathing and intact. That would in fact be ridiculous, he tells the panic in his chest that is roaring like a wounded lion. It’s irrational, he knows she’s fine. He kissed her goodbye this morning and her lips were warm and her smile sassy against his mouth as she goosed him. It’s been twelve hours at best since then and the Haven they live in is not the Haven that was. It’s gone back to being a boring, quiet little town that Duke would have left were it not for the roots he’s somehow managed to put down.

One of those roots is in that room, having her ‘book club’ and thinking she's pulling one over on him and Nathan.

'Book club' is code for the cold case club, she’d probably hijacked the original book club into becoming. Dwight was invited to sit in once and he had sold them out accidentally, forgetting Nathan was not read in on ‘book club’. Nathan had of course complained to Duke and eventually they’d decided to just let her have her secret and pretend like she had a thing in her life that was not about work. But Duke is about thirty seconds from barging in there and ruining the whole pretense because ‘book club’ was over at least twenty-five minutes ago and Duke needs to _know_ that Audrey is still in there.

He runs his hands through his hair in frustration. The only thing stopping him is he can hear voices in there, they sound happy and casual like maybe Audrey and her cronies are in fact just hanging out and talking. He wants that for Audrey, wants her to have people in her life, more than just him and Nathan. He also really needs to touch her, right now, like an itch right below his skin.

He’d been working at the Gull and some tourists had come in for lunch. He’d gone over to greet them, make a little small talk, play the good restaurateur. The husband had mentioned they were going to go up to Tuwiowok Bluff, “to watch the Hunter Meteor shower,” the husband had said smiling at the wife. Duke’s blood had gone cold for a second before the wife corrected him,

“No, the Perseid meteor shower,” she told him hurriedly, looking embarrassed. Duke had excused himself but still heard her whisper “the Hunter meteor storm nearly took out half the town a few years back! Did you see him? Obviously it’s a sore subject! Why’d you have to bring it up?!” she scolded and then Duke was out of earshot.

Since then he’s needed to see Audrey.

He glances at his watch. Thirty minutes. ‘Book club’ has been over for thirty minutes. It had been bad enough when he’d realized tonight was ‘book club’ night and she wouldn’t be home after he’d waited so patiently all day, no calls, no surprise visits to the station. Nathan had the late shift tonight so he’d been no help in that arena either.

The door behind him opens and Duke jumps, he might let out a small sound that definitely is not a yelp, no matter what Meg says. Gloria pats his cheek and calls him ‘sugar’ as she files past. Three other people come out of the room. Still no Audrey though. Duke pokes his head around the door and finds her talking to Vicki who glances nervously from Duke to the stack of files in her arms. The cold fist in his gut relaxes and he smiles at the two of them.

“Hey Duke, just uh, just taking these home to review and all that.” Vicki gives a very fake smile. Duke would have laughed but he was too intent on Audrey, whole, and safe, and so very Audrey giving him that questioning look she wears so often.

“Hi?” she says curiously, then her brow furrows in concern. “Everything okay? Is Nath-”

Duke cuts her off. “He’s fine. Everything’s fine,” he hurries to say, realizing yeah, they were at the hospital so that would in fact be a logical assumption.

He reaches out and tugs at a lock of her hair gently, and he is proud of his restraint at not pulling her into his arms and weeping into her hair in relief. “Just wanted to come by and see my best girl,” he drawls and Audrey rolls her eyes, having none of that.

Vicki giggles and excuses herself.

Audrey opens her mouth to say something, probably ask what’s wrong but Duke shakes his head. “Can we,” he rubs the back of his neck probably looking as embarrassed as he feels. “Can we talk about it somewhere else? Somewhere that’s not,” he gestures, “here?”

Audrey glances around and seems to take note that they are in fact in the morgue for the first time and nods.

“Sure,” she agrees, gathering her purse and Duke doesn't miss the folder she slips inside of it. “Book club details,” she lies glibly, zipping the bag shut.

“Duty rosters and minutes and stuff right?” he asks.

“Club dues,” she agrees, but she walks closer to him than necessary on their way out of the hospital. He thinks of the time he’d walked this way with who he thought was Lexie. He glances at her, just to make sure the hair and the outfit are right. She gives him a look right back and then rolls her eyes, wrapping both her arms around one of his and leaning her head against his shoulder. She’s warm and soft and real and his Audrey.

Duke stops in the middle of the corridor and pulls her into his arms. If Audrey's surprised at the move she doesn't let on, just holds onto him, her arms going under his jacket, around his waist, her hands tucked into the back pockets of his jeans. And she doesn’t say anything, doesn't ask any questions, though Audrey often seems to be composed primarily of questions, sometimes she doesn't need them. Sometimes she can just look at you and _know_. And Duke is really, so very grateful. Duke leans his cheek against her temple and stands very still, taking in the hug, taking in great lungfuls of the scent of her shampoo and perfume and something that's just Audrey. He strokes his hand carefully down her back, feeling the flex of muscle beneath his palm.

He takes a deep, shaky breath and pulls away after a few long moments.

“Come on, I’ll drive you home,” he offers.

“And back tomorrow to pick up my car,” she adds. 

Duke laughs and nods. "And back tomorrow to pick up your car."

Audrey smiles and slips her small hand into his, the gun callous on her trigger finger rubbing against his thumb. 

“Come on, Crocker, let’s go home.”

Home. The word still fills Duke with a sense of wonder. He squeezes Audrey’s hand as they walk and thinks of the difference a year makes. Duke has such a rush of pride in her. At this life she’s built, at the life she’s helped him build. He can’t help it, he stares with soft eyes for a long moment when they get into the truck, simply reveling in this moment that she is here, still here, even after everything Haven threw at her she’s still here. She’s too busy buckling her seat belt to notice, blonde hair swinging into her face and back as she settles. Her badge glints at her waist, still there though the hours of work are long past. It’s such an Audrey Parker detail it makes him chuckle. 

The seatbelt clicks and she looks up and gives him that Audrey Parker smile part curiosity, part I know all your secrets. 

“What?” she asks.

And Duke exhales. 

_She’s here. She survived._


End file.
